Why the Net has the advantage in the ‘Undies world’
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England’s next World Cup keeper
Tuesday 18th November 2008, 7:10AM GMT.
Football is a bit like nature; the more man tries to tame it, the more it will not be tamed, writes Martin Swain.
Which is why, despite investing a small western economy in attempting to make such results impossible, Chelsea can still get beaten by Burnley and Hull City can win at the Emirates (it doesn’t seem so daft now but imagine the odds had you backed that in August).
The game’s never-ending capacity to surprise rumbles along wonderfully and remains its greatest sideshow. Walking into the bookies in the summer, what price would you have been given on Joe Kinnear returning to management.
“Where did you say? At Northampton?”
“No, at Newcastle. Now stop laughing and take my bet will you?”
Or tapping the window of a Coral’s Derby branch 10 years ago and requesting odds on the local team’s first team coach managing England.
“What’s his name again? McClaren? Ah well mate, it’s your money.”
This is all by way of justifying my own far-off bet, a silly little fancy that I have long nurtured and will not concede is over.
Because I still think England’s goalkeeper for the next World Cup finals – assuming we qualify – is currently plying his trade third from bottom in League One.
In fact, it would probably be bottom were it not for the fact that Matt Murray made a debut for Hereford on Saturday which left his temporary team mates speechless and inspired the 3-0 victory over Cheltenham which lifted The Bulls up two places.
This news will surprise no-one at Molineux where, thanks to the twin engines of good housekeeping and happy fate, bloody good goalkeepers having been arriving in the six yard box quicker than a Delap throw-in. First Murray, then Wayne Hennessey and now Carl Ikeme.
But if you threatened a Wolves fan with the sale of Michael Kightly unless he or she picked one, my bet would be a majority shout for Murray. There is something that happens to defences when this man takes over the duties and it’s the polar opposite of what happens when a worried-looking Brazilian arrives and in fractured, faltering English says: “Hello, my name is Heurelho Gomes and I will be your goalkeeper for today.”
Hereford and their fans will know exactly what I mean by that now.
Only one other keeper has left the same impression on me in 25 years on this patch and that is the peak-time, top-of-his-game, would-you-mind-holding-my-jacket-while-I-just-save-this-penalty Mark Bosnich with Aston Villa.
And now, surveying Fabio Capello’s choices, there is still no-one who brings on to the pitch the same sense of assurance and presence combined with match-winning capabilities. It is nice to see sound professionals Scott Carson and Paul Robinson coming back from misfortune and Robert Green still challenging and young Joe Hart making a name for himself. All in an effort to dislodge the durable David James.
But sorry – Murray is better than the lot of them.
So back to my bet. We all know he is currently playing in League One because he has got a lousy injury record and he first has to utilise his Hereford appearances to get fit.
Assuming that happens, it’s back to Wolves where his career will go in one of two directions – Murray will re-claim the No.1 spot or be sold. The club is simply not going to be big enough eventually for all three; something has got to give.
After that, I’ve got 18 months or so for Murray to prove my claim that he is the best English goalkeeper and collect on my bet. No problem. If he stays at Wolves, he must be in the Premier League (and whether you like it or not, a Wolves goalkeeper fresh into the Premier League is going to get a lot of practice).
It’s a bit of a worry that confirmed Murray fan Ray Clemence has been replaced by Capello’s pick Franco Tancredi as England’s goalkeeping coach.
Clemence, I’m hoping, has left a memo for the Italian at Soho Square. Something about this really big bugger at Wolverhampton who should not be forgotten.
But I’m not giving up on Murray and my silly World Cup punt. Not only does he possess the talent to justify the bet, he’s a top bloke who deserves a break.
And as football will remind us a thousand times before South Africa in 2010, stranger things have happened.
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super matt!! i hope old glass back can turn out to be shatter proof this time!! he`s the best keeper i`ve ever seen in my 32 years of life! even better than paul cook at willenhall town was in the 90`s!!
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Put more money on Martin as Matt kept a clean sheet, 3-0 not 3-1.
He is good!
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Swain that was a good article(for once).
I completely agree that Matt is a sensational keeper and if it weren’t for his dodgy knees etc would be already wearing the England shirt with pride. I think there is also some logic to Mick putting Ikeme in the starting line-up and that is to advertise him for sale or to prove he is just as capable as Hennessey? I will say though that I can’t see Murray going anywhere in the next year or so because as good as he is the injury risk would put many off.
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Murray will always be my Number 1 at wolves, Henns I think will be sold in the summer, and Ikeme will be back up to Murray.
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I think i’m swimming against the flow here. But one thing Matt has to sort before England would consider him is his kicking. It can be very hit and miss sometimes.
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Great Article Swain. However I think there are a few obstacles in Big Matts direction before he can achieve world domination!
1) His long term fitness – he needs to stay fit for at least a couple of seasons
2) The obvious one is he needs to be playing in the premiership. Maybe next year with Wolves?
3) He needs to be playing for a LONDON club! What chance has he got of establishing himself unless he plays for the big 4 or a London club. We all know midlands based players never get a fair shout. Its an unwritten rule. Just ask Gareth Barry
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Could not agree more. If he just stays off the injury bench and in the six yard and 18 yeard box we wil be fine. And I too am going to make the bet. What are the odds?
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5.Dan, I’ll take a GoalKeeper who save goals over a Keeper who kicks well anyday. Matt doesnt have to sort anything other than his injury woes, as all the other english goalkeepering talents have problems in there game.
The simple fact is Matt is just to big a ManMountain not to get injuries to his legs and knees, anyone his size throwing themselves about the amount he does in a season WILL get injuried, i love the big beast to death and will never forget tht saved penalty in the promotion finals, but the simple truth is if he comes back and helps us get into the premiership again then great, but dont all be surprised if he picks up another injury close to the end of the season. (personally id like to see him lose a stone or so of his upperbody muscle and see if tht would help with the pressure on his fragile legs, and im surprised our backroom staff havent asked him to tone down the weighttraining) just my personal view tho.
COME ON YOU WOLVES
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6, sorry i didnt know Portsmouth was in london, and wasnt Robinson dropped while playing for a london club and called back up now he has left london!! Playing for the big 4, which happen to include 2 london clubs i will agree with, but saying a london club is a bit of a generalisation.
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9 I take your point there, perhaps I did overgeneralise!
8 I couldnt agree more with you. I think he does need to loose a stone. I ruptured my my cruciate ligament a few years ago playing football. I’m a 15 1/2 stone well built guy. Basically its hard work on the joints. I was told this in rehab.
It could only improve his game if he lost a little bit of bulk.
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the best keeper in england by far. carson is very average beaten at his near post too many times.
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The difference between all our keepers is that Matt is an all round keeper, commands the area extremly well, makes some brillient saves and is a shot stopper. Hen is good but doesn’t command the area like matt and Carl commands the area and is an excellent stopper.
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One thing’s for sure, we can’t keep 3 keepers of their class. One of them doesn’t even make the bench, when all 3 could be playing in the Prem. So, one of them has to go.
It can’t be Matt. I think he’s the best we’ve got in theory, but we wouldn’t get much cash for him because of his injury record.
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Dream on
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Despite that the English National Team is not known to have good keepers nowadays I think it will take more than a year and a half to convince people at Soho Square that Murray is their man.
A better chance for Mancienne, Ebanks-Blake and Kightly to be in the squad for 2010.
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Matt is a great keeper and is the only person I know that has had the same treatment as my
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Terribly written article, sorry. Is it really necessary to use words such as “bugger” and “bloody”. However I do agree that Murray should play for England one day an is still wolves’ best goalkeeper.
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Matt has been injury prone ever since he was a youngster. Only his genius has kept clubs interested. He is a genius and had he been fit then he would be playing in the premier – and maybe with Wolves.
I hope so much that he comes good. I spoke to him briefly and he seemed a very impressive man.
Good luck Matt
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Excellent blog. I agree he has the potential -a fit Matt Murray, regularly plying his trade in the prem would run close to being England’s No1. His kicking has been suspect in the past, but with the right club coach this would soon be ironed out – I have no doubt. At good odds it’s definitely worth a punt.
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Englands No.1! Murray is the main man, and Ikeme is the better back up in my opinion. I’d take the 6million for Wayne if we get to the Prem as we’ll need to spend big to stay there.
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It’s easy to say he deserves a go with England because he’s such a nice chap. The fact is he deserves his chance because he is the best English goalkeeper by a mile. So his kicks are rubbish. Choice, Robinson between the sticks with a half decent kick or Murray? No contest me thinks!
By the way, I also think he deserves his chance… because he is such a nice chap.
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he does sound like a good candidate for a future england goalie to test his theory wolves would need to be in the top flight so we would see his efforts against the likes of christiano ronaldo,carlostevez and that young striker who plays for Arsenel if he can stop them the rest of the world should be a breeze
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So what odds did you get Mr Swain?
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All very interesting points here BUT I am not too sure about losing weight would help that much with knee problems? I am 5 foot 6 and about 10 stone and I ruptured my cruciate ligament playing footie. It just happens sometimes. Perhaps they are building up his leg muscles to support the reconstructured knee. Apparently the whole of the front row of the All Blacks 7 years ago didn’t have a unruptured cruciate ligament between them, so my consultant told me! If you have the massive legs to carry it you can get away with it, as i say, so i’m told?
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WolvesTowner ; in the championship yes. But you look at the statistics for top class international keepers. There ball distribution is important. There are plenty of good shot stoppers around.
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Matt Murray is the best keeper in the country by far. All of us at Molineux have seen what he can do. Cash in on Hennessey, get Murray fully fit and surely its only a matter of time before he gets picked for England.
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Until the bloke has played at the top level of the Premiership, suggesting he’s better then all those other top flight Goalkeepers is pure one eyed bias! He might come back rom this injury and one day play in the Premiership but until then the highest level he’s been tested at is Championship level. He’s got more chance of an early retirement at the moment then he has of ever testing himself in the Premiership let alone for bloody England… He’s got to play consistantly at the top level 1st, he’s not even played one game there yet!
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Stay off the cheap supermarket booze!!
Murray will NEVER make it to England no3.
Let alone 1st choice, he will never be fit enough.
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After supporting Wolves for 45 years through thick and thin I agree. Matt has always has had talent just like the first time I watached Robbie Keane or Joeleon Lescott I knew that as footballers they would play at the top level and represent their countries. Matt would be playing for England now be it not for his injuries but for a Goal keeper time is on his side after all he is only 27. Matt has an amazing presence on the pitch not just because of his physical size but also and aura which gives his team mates confidence. The management at Wolves have a problem because Ikeme is good, Hennesey is very good and Murray is Excellent – what a nice problem to have. Lets try to keep tham all and see if we can get some other players to go South Africa 2010 with Murray, Lescott and Mancienne.
Good Article Mr Swain
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Six out of the nine blogs on here are about football. Do Black Country folk ever think about anything else?
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